


This Sweet Love of Mine

by BeneaththeHalo



Series: Courage Magic Strength [15]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Nightmares, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 06:52:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2141271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneaththeHalo/pseuds/BeneaththeHalo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the dreams, Merlin and Gwaine burn, slain for the crime of witchcraft. In reality, both of them show Arthur they are never going anywhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Sweet Love of Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Day #15- Sweet and Passionate

The crowd gathered in the town square and in the streets was so large and was making so much noise it was almost monstrous. There had been many executions in Camelot since Uther had banned magic, but there had been none quite like this. There was not a person who lived within the citadel and the lower town that was not present. None of them quite knew what had really happened. All they knew was that the Crown Prince's personal manservant and one of his most trusted knights were being executed for sorcery.

The Crown Prince stood with his father, a guard on either side of him, and it only took once glance at him to know that he did not want to be there. His eyes were red and his face was tear-stained, and he looked like he wanted to throw himself from the balcony. He had begged and begged his father to reconsider, to stop this, that Merlin and Gwaine had never hurt him, but the king would not listen. They have used magic, Uther had said, used it on you, and so they must die by fire. Nothing Arthur could say was going to change his mind.

They thought they had been so careful. Never being seen together like that in public, making sure no one saw Gwaine sneak into Arthur's chambers when Merlin and Arthur were already in seen. It was always in secret, when no one would be seeking Arthur, or when he had requested to be left alone. Nobody knew. They should've been safe.

But they hadn't counted on Uther pulling himself out of his own mind, freeing himself from the descent into misery that had begun with Morgana's betrayal. The king had missed Arthur, his only child and his greatest triumph, and he didn't want to miss out on him anymore. When Arthur had left for the Isle of the Blessed, expecting never to return, Uther's heart had broken once again. He'd gone to Arthur's chambers, expecting to find his son alone. What he'd found had infuriated him.

He'd called for the guards immediately, tearing Arthur from his bed at the same time the guards grabbed Merlin and Gwaine. Arthur had screamed for them to stop, that they didn't understand, if they could please just listen, but it was no use.

Ordering Merlin and Gwaine to be thrown into the dungeon, in seperate cells, Uther had confronted Arthur alone, demanding to know why the two men were in his bed. Sleeping with his manservant and a knight was abhorrent, he said, and he would have to stop it immediately. But when Arthur had refused, saying that he loved them and could not stay away, Uther had snapped. They must have used magic to enchanted his son, Uther had said, for that was the only way they could have possibly taken his heart. Nothing Arthur had said made a difference; he had been confined to his chambers, with guards outside the door, and the execution had been ordered for the morning.

That was what had brought them to this point. Arthur desperately did not want to be there, could not stand to see them burn, but his father would not listen. He said Arthur would see, as the flames consumed them, just how dark Merlin and Gwaine's souls were.

Arthur promised himself he would not cry; he didn't want Merlin and Gwaine's last memories of him and their lives to be his heartbreak. Uther insisted that Arthur would feel nothing when they were dead and their spell was broken, but Arthur knew better. They had placed no spell on him, and when they were gone, he would not be whole again.

A hush fell over the crowd as two men stepped forward, using their torches to light the pyres. Arthur was entranced then, horrified, unable to look yet unable to tear his eyes away. The fire reached Merlin and Gwaine, and at first they were silent and resolute, not given Uther the satisfaction, but then they began screaming. Their faces were contorted in pure anguish, their screams almost torturous, and soon Arthur was screaming too, even louder and more terrible. But someone was screaming his name, someone familiar, and then a second voice joined in-

“Arthur? Arthur!”

Arthur was jolted from sleep with one last cry, breathing heavily and his whole body covered in a sheen of sweat. It took him a long time to realise where he was- in his own bed, with Merlin and Gwaine on either side of him, very much alive.

“It was just a dream…”

“It was,” Merlin whispered soothingly, brushing Arthur’s damp hair out of his eyes. “You’re here with us, Arthur. You’re safe. We’re safe.”

“What was the dream about?” Gwaine asked.

“The two of you, executed, burning on the pyre at my father’s command,” Arthur said, unable to look his lovers in the eye. “Condemned to death for apparently enchanting the heart of the Crown Prince. For using magic.”

“Technically, I did use magic,” said Merlin, and Arthur couldn’t help but smile. “And Arthur, you know your father is-” Merlin cut himself off, afraid of saying the wrong thing.

“I know. I know, really, that he’ll probably never be himself again, but still I worry that he’ll pull out of it and find out, and then-”

“Arthur,” said Gwaine forcefully, squeezing the prince’s hand. “You think way too much.” He moved his fingers gently over Arthur’s chest, his broad shoulders, and finally his face. Gwaine’s lips were strong and delicate all at once as they met Arthur’s. His tongue ran over Arthur’s rough bottom lip and Arthur sighed, closing his eyes. “Relax, Arthur. Lie down. Try and go back to sleep.”

“Don’t wanna go back to sleep,” Arthur muttered, but he still leant back against the pillows. “If I go back to sleep I’ll see…” Arthur trailed off, but the other two knew what he meant.

Merlin curled in next to Arthur again, hands toying with the edge of Arthur’s sleep pants, thumbs rubbing against bare skin. Arthur pushed back into Merlin’s touch, consenting, and Merlin pulled the pants down. “Maybe we can give you different dreams,” Merlin suggested.

Arthur rolled over onto his side for Merlin. Merlin’s hands ran over Arthur’s arse, gripping it, and thrusting into him slowly and gently. It was rare they took so much care, were so very tender with Arthur, but they felt the situation called for it. They loved each other dearly and passionately, Merlin and Arthur and Gwaine did, and they knew when one just needed the others.

“We’re never going anywhere,” Merlin promised as he rocked into Arthur, using magic instead of oil, as the Prince’s breath came out in tiny gasps. “Not like that.”

“We love you, Arthur,” Gwaine whispered as well, pressing kisses to the prince’s torso and neck before finally capturing his lips again. “Now please just relax, and I’m sure you’ll dreams about us of a different kind.”

 


End file.
